This invention relates to support trays in the form of reusable holders and more particularly to a sterilizable holder for extremely delicate and expensive medical instruments such as fiber optic surgical units.
Such instruments are used in visual examination, diagnosis and treatment. These instruments have large lenses, connectors and a bundle of very delicate glass fibers and tubes within a small sheath. Even in normal, careful handling and sterilization they are easily broken with consequent repair costs as high as $2,000.00. The present invention provides a holder in the form of a tray of uncomplicated structure to which the instrument may be easily and readily secured and subsequently detached for use. Thus, possibilities of damage or breakage during normal handling and sterilization procedures are reduced to a minimum because the instrument always remains attached to the holder except when actually being used by the physician.
Several somewhat similar and sterilizable structures are taught by the following, prior U.S. Patents. A support plate having tubular guides for mounting a catheter is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,633,758 issued to P. H. Morse. However, a tubular guide configuration cannot be used with extremely delicate instruments such as fiber optic surgical units. Specifically, the relatively large lenses, connectors control section and associated accessories could not be supported by such a structure without damage to the unit. U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,996 issued to W. H. Hendren III discloses a sterilizable solid plastic body or case, recessed to receive a urological or similar telescope but the holder has considerable bulk in relation to the instrument and is unsuited for fiber optic surgical units having extended length cord and insertion tube sections which are coiled when not in use. Another sterilizable tray for holding instruments such as hardware, plates, etc. for orthopedic surgery is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,437,423 issued to D. G. Mondiadis. A similar tray for hypodermic needles and the like is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,472,028 issued to A. J. Son while a disposable medical instrument tray is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,013,656 issued to W. P. Murphy, Jr. More remote disclosures of apparatus for storing delicate items such as musical instrument reeds and ceramic objects are taught by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,089,412 issued to K. Bough and 2,784,840 issued to J. Stefanik, respectively.
However, the prior art fails to disclose a sterilizable holder for fiber optic surgical units or the like, having a base with a precise outline of the instrument to be secured thereon formed on the base, and provided with a plurality of paired pegs or posts to retain the unit in place by means of elastic or rubber bands engaging the posts over the unit once it is located on the base.